To The Reader’s Forum:

Our financially strapped towns and land leasers must not expect debt-ridden NYS [or anyone] to bail them out for insufficient decommissioning funds for end-of-life wind and solar projects.

Reported decommissioning costs are highly speculative, poorly understood and depend on the project’s design, location, the specific time of decommissioning and variations in disposal and recycling methods.

Published in August 2025, the report titled “Assessment of Decommissioning Costs and Financing Models for Onshore Wind Turbines” by researchers from the Finnish Environment Institute estimates minimum total costs per turbine at E 929,500, escalating to a maximum of E 1,509,000. “This starkly contrasts with typical industry claims of E 100,000 to E 200,000 per turbine, which often ignore site-specific factors like terrain, soil conditions, and regulatory requirements for hazardous material handling.” The study warns of a future decommissioning crisis as wind farms reach the end of their 20-year lifespans, potentially leaving governments, landowners, and taxpayers saddled with massive bills if decommissioning funds are inadequate.

Offshore wind farm decommissioning is complex and much more expensive than anticipated due to the significant logistical challenges of working at sea. It remains essentially untested thus far.

Jan 2024, a federal judge ordered Italian renewable giant ENEL to remove all 84 wind turbines built on Oklahoma’s Osage Nation land without a proper permit, violating its tribal sovereignty. ENEL claims it will cost $259-300 million to remove their 84, approximately 420 foot tall turbines. [Many New York state turbines are 600-plus feet with higher removal costs]. The judge granted a temporary stay while ENEL appeals the ruling.

Note: For comparison the decommissioning Letter of Credit for the Cassadaga Wind project to remove 37, approximately 500 foot tall wind turbines and project infrastructure is just $8 million dollars. WOW! The per turbine /cost ratio shows an extremely alarming cost difference and likely a preview of the decommissioning nightmare to come.

BTW: Italian ENEL is currently developing a 100 MW solar project here in the Town of Charlotte, N.Y. Of course you will not find wind turbines off Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Sadly, we mere “country bumpkins” are the targets – ripe for the picking.

Joni Riggle

Sinclairville